Atherogenic dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes and stable coronary artery disease: a prospective, cohort study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the impacts of triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) dyslipidaemia on prognosis in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with different glucose metabolism status.

Design: An observational cohort study.

Setting/participants: A total of 3057 patients with stable CAD were consecutively enrolled and divided into three groups according to different glucose metabolism status.

Lipoprotein(a) as a marker for predicting coronary collateral circulation in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

The aim of the present study was to examine the predictive value of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) levels for coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 409 consecutive patients with AMI were enrolled for this study. Patients were divided into two groups according to rentrop grades assessed by coronary angiography: bad (n = 277) and good CCC group (n = 132).

Triglyceride glucose index for predicting cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a novel marker for metabolic disorders and recently it has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in apparently healthy individuals. However, the prognostic value of TyG index in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) is not determined.

Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study among 3,745 patients with stable CAD.

Use of cationic microbubbles targeted to P-selectin to improve ultrasound-mediated gene transfection of hVEGF to the ischemic myocardium.

Gene therapies have been applied to the treatment of cardiovascular disease, but their use is limited by the need to deliver them to the right target. We have employed targeted contrast ultrasound-mediated gene transfection (TCUMGT) via ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) to transfer therapeutic genes to specific anatomic and pathological targets. Phospholipid microbubbles (MBs) with pcDNA-human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (pcDNA-hVEGF) plasmids targeted to P-selectin (MB+P+VEGFp) were created by conjugating monoclonal antibodies against P-selectin to the lipid shell.

[Exploration on an ultrasonographic imaging reporting and data system in malignancy grading of thyroid nodules].

Objective: To explore the values of ultrasonographic features in differentially diagnosing benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and attempt to establish a quantitative ultrasound classification system.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 20 ultrasound features of 926 thyroid nodules in 527 patients. Using logistic regression analysis, we obtained the probability function for predicting the malignancy in thyroid nodules and established a preliminary ultrasound classification system.

[Aortic elastic properties and its clinical significance in intracranial aneurysms].

Objective: To investigate the aortic elastic properties and its clinical significance in intracranial aneurysms (IAs).

Methods: One hundred and seven IAs patients (57 with hypertension) and 108 healthy subjects were recruited. The internal aortic diameters in systole and diastole were measured by the M-mode echocardiography, the aortic elasticity indexes were calculated and compared.

Giant left atrial thrombus associated with ablation for atrial tachycardia.

We report a very rare case of giant left atrial thrombus (size: 7.2 x 4.5 mm(2)) associated with radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial tachycardia in a 72-year-old man.

[Assessment of postsystolic shortening of left ventricle in dilated cardiomyopathy using tissue velocity imaging].

Objective: To evaluate the postsystolic shortening (PSS) of different segments of left ventricle (LV) and its meanings in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: Twenty-two normal controls and 14 DCM patients underwent tissue velocity imaging (TVI) to obtain the regional velocity profiles of 18 segments of LV. The peak velocities of isovolumic contraction phase (V(IC)), systolic phase (V(S)), and PSS (V(PSS)), the time of V(PSS) (T(PSS)) was measured and the ratio of V(PSS) to V(IC) (V(PSS)/V(IC)), and ratio of V(PSS) to V(S) (V(PSS)/V(S)) were calculated.

Biventricular pacemaker implantation in a patient with isolated noncompaction of the right ventricular myocardium.

Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is an unclassified cardiomyopathy and is thought to be due to arrest of myocardial morphogenesis. Fetal arrhythmias may occur in approximately half of the patients and account for the death in this disorder. We describe a patient with isolated noncompaction of the right ventricular myocardium in whom implantation of biventricular pacemaker was thought to be effective to prevent the risk of sudden cardiac death and complications.

Cerebral infarction in an adult patient with right ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction.

Ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (VHT) is a rare congenital anomaly, and usually involves the left ventricle (LVHT), with the right ventricle (RVHT) being infrequently involved. Clinical manifestations are highly variable, ranging from no symptoms to disabling congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, systemic thromboemboli and sudden death. We report a case of right ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (RVHT) presenting as cerebral infarction.

Tissue Doppler imaging study of right ventricular myocardial systolic activation in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) has provided an objective means to quantify global and regional left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function with improved accuracy and greater reproducibility than conventional echocardiography. This study was conducted to assess RV myocardial systolic activation by TDI in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods: A total of 30 patients with PAH and 30 healthy volunteers, all comparable in age and sex, underwent standard Doppler echo and TDI.

Rapid detection of pneumothorax by ultrasonography in patients with multiple trauma.

Introduction: Early detection of pneumothorax in multiple trauma patients is critically important. It can be argued that the efficacy of ultrasonography (US) for detection of pneumothorax is enhanced if it is performed and interpreted directly by the clinician in charge of the patients. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of emergency department clinicians to perform bedside US to detect and assess the size of the pneumothorax in patients with multiple trauma.

[The epidemiological study on human immunodeficiency virus infection among paid blood donors living in Shandong provincial China Comprehensive Response Project Areas].

Objective: To understand the current epidemic situation and high risk factors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among paid blood donors living in Shandong provincial China Comprehensive Response (CARES) Project Areas.

Methods: All residents between 20 to 60 years old were selected from one or several counties in August 2003.

Results: There were 19 HIV(+) infections among 661 subjects interviewed.

[Assessment of myocardial ischemia and infarction by intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography with perfluorocarbon microbubbles].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) with intermittent second harmonic technique and perfluorocarbon microbubbles in identifying myocardial ischemia and infarction. METHODS: Open-chest dogs were performed by intravenous MCE with perfluorocarbon microbubbles after 3 h of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion. The parameters of time-intensity curve were measured and compared between the normal and ischemic myocardial area at short-axis view of left ventricule midpapillary muscle level.